The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Some people walk through life (literally) with grace.  Not me, I walk through everything with an eternal sense of clumsiness.  Sadly, some of my lack of walking on clouds has rubbed off on my husband.  Now some of his troubles he deserves.  Hubby constantly leaves glasses, bowls, everything, halfway on and halfway off the counter or table.  It's begging mean old Mr. Gravity to do his job, while he laughs maniacally and twists his handlebar mustache.  This time, I'm talking about accidents.  One time after my grandfather had died, my sisters and I rented a house on the beach in Nags Head, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  We invited my grandmother, thinking it would be a great escape for her and reenforcing that we were still a family of which she was a big part.  One day while helping my grandmother in her room, hubby had to get something that had fell behind a set of drawers.  They were about hip high, and he didn't realize that the top drawer was slightly open.  As he bent over the top to pull her item from behind the dresser, um...some very personal part of his body traveled into the top of the drawer (yes, he was dressed), at the same time he was leaning against the drawer.  Yes, he gave himself a major pinch, all the while not letting on to my grandmother what had happened.  Yep, that's one of my memories of renting a house for a family vacation.

I recently read The Villa by Rachel Hawkins.  I've reviewed several of her books before, enjoying them.  In addition, she writes The Ex Hex series under the name Erin Sterling, also reviewed here.  The Villa is about Emily and Chess, both authors and best friends from Asheville, NC.  When reunited for a visit they decide to spend the summer in Italy in a famous villa with an interesting history.  The story moves in dual timelines between the present and 1974 where five people are also renting the same villa for the summer.  They are musicians and a writer.  All hoping the setting will improve their creativity. Sadly in 1974 one of the five ends up murdered.  The crime is solved and one of them goes to jail, but when in the present-day Emily does some research, it appears things may not have been as it seemed.  As the book moves through everyone's time on their vacation, parts of their histories start to match up.  Will Emily solve what really happened in 1974, will the cursed house tear Em and Chess apart or worse?  

While I have enjoyed Rachel Hawkins past books this one is so superior.  The story is multi layered, interesting, moves at a thoughtful pace.  While not a heart pounding thriller, you'll be thrilled to keep those pages turning.  Highly entertaining, this book is hard to put down.  Don't miss it.

Now that I've told you about my husband and his hurt...um...pride...I better go make sure all the kitchen drawers are closed.   

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Has anyone else noticed a lot of "jump on the bandwagon-ing" going on in books over the last few years?   I guess it is natural since selling books is a business.  I don't, however, remember the whole writing world turning into stories about vampires after Anne Rice's very popular Interview With the Vampire.  Twilight comes out, and you can barely find a book that doesn't include bloodsuckers.  Heck, they were and still are so common, I'm actually starting to wonder about some people I know.  I gave my husband several concerning glances after a particularly brutal session he had with a bowl of spaghetti.  Then came the books about someone on the autism spectrum, they were everywhere.  While these stories could actually help the population become more accepting of people with differences (as we all should be, who is to say what is normal anyway), the number of authors jumping on the topic was annoying. Now there is a new topic with huge popularity, witches.  Three, yes, THREE of my Book of the Month choices included witches.  Now, I'm not complaining about my beloved BOTM, and I love seasonal topics...so Halloweeny.  But the topic isn't just for this Fall, there are huge series that have witches as gardeners, sisters, in the past, in fantasy, in history, in horror, in cozy mysteries, and in romance novels.  Overall, I wish everyone would cover their answers and keep their eyes on their own paper.  Do their own thing.  Except for witches at Halloween, that gets a pass from me, but the second they step on Santa's toes out they go!

I recently read The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling. You might recognize Erin Sterling, she also wrote The Ex Hex, last year.  The Kiss Curse is the sequel although it can easily be read as a stand-alone book.  Lest you think I've betrayed my beloved thrillers, cheating on them with this cute romantic comedy, Erin Sterling also writes thrillers under the author name Rachel Hawkins.  This is the story of Gwyn, who owns a witchy product store in Georgia.  Enter Wells, the mysterious bartender, turned shop owner from Wales, who sets up his store right across from Gwyn.  Of course, there is much dislike at first, then their attraction to each other becomes undeniable.  Not only do they have to fight their feelings for each other, should they embrace them or resist, but there is trouble in town as well, that only they can fix.  

This book, like The Ex Hex, is just fun.  There is nothing super deep here, no rocket science textbook.  This story will allow you to spend a day or two transported to their author's world where things are always interesting, and Fall is in full swing.  The story is short, sweet and to the point.  The writing highly entertaining.  I absolutely adored the dialog between the two main characters which was full of sarcasm and had me laughing many times.  

I can't believe I'm saying this about a book about witches, but I hope there is a third.  Gasp!  I know, don't tell anyone.  Do yourself a favor, grab a plaid blanket, a cup of pumpkin latte Frappuccino espresso with a half twist who-hockey and enjoy this book.  Allow it to work its charms on you!

 

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

Halloween is almost here.  When we were kids we had the best time trick-treating.  Our neighborhood was extremely safe and kind of off on it's own, so my parents let us go out with friends.  We visited so many houses for candy.  During this time kids wore plastic masks that had elastic around the back.  I remember one year, I went as Dracula.  I carried a tape recorder that played spooky music, which I tried to hide under my cape.  I'm certain nobody knew where it was coming from.  I was obviously being followed by my own personal orchestra.  I also remember it being cold.  Nothing wrecks a well planned Halloween costume like your mom yelling to wear your winter coat as you head out the door.  One year it even snowed, I don't mean flurries, I mean snow on the ground.  Yep, when the tv tray was set by our front door with a huge bowl filled with candy, you knew fun was on the way, cavities too.

I recently read The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling.  I am consistent, if nothing else.  I just thought this book sounded like a cute romantic comedy and would be a nice break from thrillers.  Turns out Erin Sterling is the pen name of Rachel Hawkins, author of the thriller The Wife Upstairs, which I enjoyed.  The Ex Hex is the story of Vivienne and Rhys.  Vivi and her cousin accidently put a curse on Rhys, which messes up everything.  Life in their small Georgia town was picturesque but as Halloween approaches odd things are beginning to happen.  

This book is fun, not rocket science, just plain old fun.  It's not too long, at just over 300 pages, and is a breeze to read.  The dialog is quite funny.  Some of it spattered with profanity, so if that offends you steer clear.  I promise, this book may not have you on the edge of your seat like my beloved thrillers, but it will have you laughing until the very last page.

Next time you buy yourself a six dollar pumpkin latte, pair it with this book for the full fall treatment.  FYI, the book is a far better bargain.